37: Building Joyful Communities

In this episode of the CheckBox Pro Series, Missy sits down with Danielle Mack, Chief Executive Officer of Ethos Classical in Atlanta. Danielle shares her journey from teaching seventh grade math to founding and leading a thriving K–8 school community, one she trusted enough to enroll her own children in. She opens up about the challenges of leading through growth and transition, the importance of balancing motherhood with leadership, and how she sustains herself in a demanding role. At the heart of her leadership is a superpower: creating joyful, connected communities where families, scholars, and staff are active participants rather than passive consumers. Key Takeaways: Danielle's path from teaching and college access work to founding Ethos Classical. Why joy, community, and transparency are core values at Ethos. How Danielle balances being a school leader and mom of four—and why modeling whole-person care matters. The role of active listening and seeing children as "whole people" in building trust. Practical resources Danielle leans on: Yardsticks and The Whole-Brain Child. Connect with Danielle: LinkedIn: Danielle Mack https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mack-09627a173/ Learn more about Ethos Classical: https://www.ethosclassical.org About CheckBox Pro: CheckBox Pro helps school leaders create sustainability through added capacity—taking repetitive tasks off their plates so they can focus on what matters most. https://www.checkboxpro.com/ Licensed music ID: ILRNI9DIEHE4JTVQ Music: Energizer by Chris Phaze licensed through Premium Beat by Shutterstock ID: ILRNI9DIEHE4JTVQ